Tag Archives: Software

Luminar from Macphun can be used to create dramatic effects and is an effective replacement for many Nik Collection plug-ins.

With the recent announcement that Google will no longer support the Nik Collection, I’ve started using Macphun’s suite of editing tools more and more frequently. Most specifically, I’ve jumped feet-first into their newest editor, Luminar. I’ve found it to be an excellent choice for photographers who are familiar with the Nik Collection suite. You can read my initial thoughts on Luminar here.

Here’s why I’m moving to Macphun:

Macphun Software applications use the latest technologies for image adjustments and special effects

Macphun products are compatible with Lightroom and Photoshop, plus you can use Luminar as a stand-alone editor (it even opens most RAW files)

Learning to Love Luminar

While there are several Macphun software plug-ins available for Mac users (and they are excellent), Luminar is so incredibly flexible that it can take the place of most of the other filters, provided you know where to look. Because Luminar is coming to Windows, too, it’s the one Macphun product I think you should be familiar with. Here are some tips for getting the most out of Luminar. Continue reading Moving to Macphun: Tips for Nik Users→

As most of you know, the future of the Nik Collection is in jeopardy as Google is no longer planning to support the software. While that doesn’t mean it will stop working immediately, it does mean that updates to your OS or to Photoshop/Lightroom may cause issues in the future.

I really do love my Nik plug-ins, and I don’t plan to stop using them in the short term. But I do accept the future, and in looking for an alternative, I’ve found that the Macphun software plug-ins are very good, especially their newest all-around editor, Luminar. My only hesitation for recommending these products is that they have been MacOS only. However, that’s changing as of today! Continue reading Luminar: The Nik Software Replacement?→

Aurora HDR is a new HDR tone-mapping program for Mac users from Macphun Software.

Today, Macphun Software released their latest photo editing tool, Aurora HDR. I’ve had the opportunity to test-drive a pre-release version of the software for a little while, and I really like what I can do with it. Here are my first impressions of this powerful HDR software for Mac. Continue reading Hands-on with Aurora HDR Pro→

I captured this image of the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel several years ago, but it’s one of my favorites. It’s an HDR image that I like to revisit from time to time in order to test new software tools.

In this particular image, I was trying out the new Aurora HDR Pro software from Macphun. This newly announced HDR software isn’t out yet, but you can pre-order it here. This software has some unique features that make it stand out, including glow/lighting effects, very good control over details and textures, noise reduction, and built-in layers (including luminosity masks). Overall, it’s excellent software for those interested in fine-art HDR images. Look for a full review after November 19th, when Aurora HDR Pro is officially released!